Auto signal



Nov. 22,v 1927. 1,649,936

c. VAN ALLEN AUTO SIGNAL Filed May15, 192e l 2 sheets-sheet 1 /l 37 551x .l

Nov. 22, 1927.

c. VAN ALLEN AUTO SIGNAL Filed May 15, 1926 2 Sheets-SheetV 2A Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENTFOFFICE. y

CHARLES VAN ALLEN, or WILLIsToN, NORTH DAKOTA, AssIGNon OF ONE-HALF To BYRON WARD, v0F WILLIsToN, NORTH DAKOTA.,

-AUTO SIGNAL.'

Application led May 15,

This invention relates to signalingv devicesV and more particularly signaling devices used on motor vehicles for indicatingto drivers of machines operating in proximity with the machine equipped with the signal,l the movements to be made bythe machine.

AnotherA important. object of the invention is to provide a tell-tale lamppin circuit with the various signals of the signaling device,`- so thatv the operator may tell at a glance Whether ornot the signaling device is prop-4 erly Operating. Y s

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically lighting a'lamp with eachmovement of the signaling device, to illuminate the signaling device.

With the foregoing Y, and other objects in view Which `will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination ,and arrangement of parts andfin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changeswin the precise embodiment of the invention hereindisclosed-maybe made Within the scope of what isj claimed, Without departing fromlthe spirit :of the invention.

Referring to the dravvingszl Figure 1 is anfelevation-al view of asignaling device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is alongitudinal sectional View through the casing of the signaling device.V

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on une 3 3 of Figure 2. Y I

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken'on-line f-l of Figurefl. f

yFigure -5 is a detail 1 shifting mechanism-` -y Figure 6 is an elevational view` ofi the switch housing. v y

' Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line- 7-7-7 of Figure.: ;k 1

Figure 8 is an zeleva-t-ional'vievv illustrating one of the solenoidsyfory actuating a switch to the tell-talelamp. l f

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the signaling device and its circuits.

- Referring to the dravvingsgin detail, the device includes a housingvindicated` gener-- ally by the reference character 5 :that has its front Wall cut avvay .and closed by means of the translucent member 6, the lower por- 4view of 4tha/signal` members k9 and 10` respectively are positioned adjacent to theends of the casingy v5,-

on p

anddeiine compartments f1.1 and v12111; the

ends of the casing, the compartment 11 befV ing especially designed for containing'the solenoids, and other operating mechanism for operating the signal.

A f bearing' opening indicated at 1 3 is formed in the central portionof the .part-ition 9, and in which bearing opening the shaft 14 is positioned, which shaft supports one end ofthe cylindrical signaling niember 15,. while the opposite end thereof is formedvwith a depression definin a ball race 16 for the reception Aof the bal s 17.

AThe balls 17 also rest von the curvedr portion 1.8 of the partition y1,0, thereby supportingthe inner member or signalingmember in` suchA a lWay aste insure thel movement thereof. A lamp socket'is indicated atl 19 in which the lamp 20,is positioned, which lamp is designed to illuminatetheinterior of the; signaling device when' the .various switches are operated. v if Y.

Arranged Within the compartment 11 iss a bracket21 which is formed with a laterally extended shaft22on which the segment 23 is mounted, .the segment ,23 having lateral shafts 2 4 and 2 5; arrangedin vertical spaced when the segmental rack 29 is moved.

-Mounted on the shafts 24 and 25 are lrollers that,v engage the arms 30".;and '31',.whch arms l.extendvertically from themem'ber32, which i iswformed with an elongated opening .33 in `which the bars ,34e moves. -A link 35 connects one end of the member 32 to thel supporting v3,0 secured to the shaft 14 to rotate the shaft,

bracket 21 secured within the lower portion of the compartment', while the link 37 connects the opposite end of the member 32 with the bracket 21 as clearly shown by Figure 3.

insulating members 38 are secured to one end of the member 37 and are adapted lto bers 43 and 44 being normally in engagementfto complete a circuit.

. A coiled spring indicated at 46 has connection with 'the member 32 and the bracket 21, to normally return the vmember, 32 to its initial position after the same has been operated to display a signal. Y

The switch housing which is indicated by the reference character 47, houses the contact bars 48 which are normally held to the limit-of their upward movements by means of the coiled springs 49, the Vbars 48 having contact members secured to the under surfaces thereof, which contact members are designed to engage the contact members 50 of the bar 51, which is arranged directly thereunder. y

Thesecontact members are three in number, there being provided one bar for completing the circuit to cause the stop signal to be illuminated, one to cause the right7 signal-to be operated, and one to cause the left7 signal to be operated.

' lThe central "bar is also provided with a contact member on its upper surface adapted to Contact with the arm 52 that is grounded through the medium of the wire 53. Buttons 54 are provided over the bars 48 so that when thebuttons 54 are depressed, the bars 48 maybe moved to cause the contact members carriedthereby to complete circuits.

`The contact members of the bar 51 are in circuit with the'battery 54, through the wires 55 and 56, the wire 56 being connectedv with )the wire 57 which inturn connects lwith the switch bar 42. y v y lMounted on the upper surface of the centralcontact bar is a Contact point 58 which is normally contacting with the contact member carried by the arm 52, the bar 48 carrying-contact member 58 beingv in circuit with the switch member 39 through the wires 59, solenoid 60, wire and lamp 20, to the end that when the Vbar 48 is moved to close the circuit between the contact mem-v bers carried thereby, the lamp 2O will be lighted to illuminate the stop signal which is normally lying at the rear of the transy lucent member: that closes the forward wall of the casing.V i

The tell-tale light which is indicated at 72 is in circuit with the source of electric supply, through the wires 73 and 74, the circuit being controlled by the movement of the bar 75 that carries contact member 7 6 and contact member 77, the tell-tale light 72 being lightto indicate that the circuits to the signaling device are operating properly.

'lihe remaining bars 48 are in circuit with the coils 25 and 26, through the wires 80 and 81, the coil 27 associated with the coils 25 and 26 being grounded at 83 and supplied with lead wires 84, and 86.

The operation of the Assuming that the operator wishes to displaythe stop signal, the lcentral yloar`48 is depressed which completes the circuitvto the lamp 2O and wire 70 from where the current passes through the arm V39'an'dV arm 45 to the ground. I

Should it be desired to `displayvthe'signal indicating left, the bar 48 directly -under the button supplied with the indicating character L thereon is depressed, which completes .the circuit to the coil 25', through wire 81 and completes the circuit to the Vcoil 27 through the wires'84 and 86, causing the coil 25 to bek attracted, or moved to the right, from the position shown by Figure 3 of the drawings. f

With this movement, the roller carried by shaft 24 engages arm 30', moving the' arm to the right and causing the member 38 to engage the arm 39 which is moved to cause the contact 40 carried thereby to engage the contact member 41 and complete the circuit to the lamp 20' illuminating the interior vof the casing. Simultaneously with the movement of the arm 30', the rack bar 29 is moved, which in turn moves the gear 30 to rotatethe cylindrical signalingmember 15V device is as follows:

lill) 46 will act to return thevsegment 23 to its normal position bringingv the lword Stop7 before the display opening of-thecasing.: 'l

Should it be Vdesiredft'o operatev the signal to indicate a lturn to the right the button carrying the character R is depressed,

which in turn depresses the bar 48thereunder, to the end that the circuit iscompleted to the coil 26' through wire 80 'and through the bar 51 to they-ground.

Thecircuit is also completed to the coil 27 through wires 84 and 85, to theend that the coil 27 attracts the coil 26, movinglthe segment 23 to the left, with the result that the roller carried by arm 25 engages the arm 31, moving the same to the right and causing the arm 39 to .complete'a circuit to the lamp 20, to illuminate the interior of the casing. It will of course be obvious that as the segment 23 moves, in the direction as described, the rack bar 29 Will operate to move the gear 30 to cause the indicating characters indicating right, to be brought before the display opening of the Casing.

I claim:

A signaling device including a casing having a display opening, a rotary member carrying indicating characters mounted in the casing, a shaft extending from the rotary member and carrying a gear, a segment pivotally mounted in the casing, electric coils mounted on the segment, a stationary coil in the casing and adapted to cooperate with the first mentioned coils to move the segment laterally, spaced shafts on the segment,'a central shaft disposed between the spaced shafts, a spring controlled member operating adjacent to the segment and cooperating with the shafts for returning the segment to its normal position, and arack Carried by the segment and cooperating with thev gear for moving the rotary member When the coilsare energized. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiixed my signature.

CHARLES lVAN ALLEN. 

